La Liga 2016/17: Pepe sidelined for 6 weeks due to a hamstring injury

The Portuguese was substituted in the 26th minute against Alaves and now looks set to miss 6 weeks due to a hamstring injury.

Pepe has not featured heavily for Madrid this season but will still be a huge miss

Real Madrid are currently embroiled in a mini-crisis due to injuries to key players over the course of the last few weeks. In what can be termed as a further blow to their title credentials, the side that have already lost crucial players in Luka Modric and Casemiro to injuries while Sergio Ramos fights against time to recover from his injury to face Atletico in the upcoming weeks, have been dealt with the news that Portuguese centre-back Pepe will miss 6 weeks of action due to a hamstring injury.

The defender suffered the injury during Madrid’s 4-1 victory over Alves on Saturday and had to be replaced in the 24th minute due to the same. While at first sight, it looked like he had picked up a niggle, further tests have revealed that the player has suffered a Grade II hamstring injury that is expected to keep him out of the game for a month and a half.

The club confirmed the injury on their official website, stating that the player had suffered a “grade II injury to the hamstring to his left leg” and with Ramos already on the nursing table, it presents the Real Madrid manager with a headache, ahead of his side’s derby against Atletico Madrid on 19th November.

"After tests carried out today on Pepe, he has been diagnosed with a grade 2 muscle injury in the femoral biceps of his left leg. His recovery will continue to be monitored," stated the club on the issue.

While the club did not reveal how much time Pepe will miss due to the injury sustained, reports from AS suggests that the normal recovery time for such an injury is 4-6 weeks. While the 33-year-old has not been regular for his side in the current season, with Varane and Ramos proving to be a good partnership, he can do the job when needed and was expected to step up for the crucial game against Atletico Madrid.

Real Madrid currently sit atop the La Liga table, ahead of Barcelona by 2 points and will be keen to consolidate their position with wins over the next few weeks. However, injuries to their crucial players have now left them troubled and it remains to be seen how manager Zidane will pull them out of the precarious situation they are in at the moment.

With only a rather unimpressive Raphael Varane available to him for the rest of the month, injuries permitting, Zidane is presented with the tough task of eking out positive results against the likes of cross-town rivals Atletico and Sporting Gijon.